Biopolymer based on lactococcus lactis nrrl b-60656, process for culturing lactocuccus lactis nrrl b-30656, and process for preparing the biopolymer

ABSTRACT

A microorganism isolated from soil was identified as being a  Lactococcus lactis  strain (NRRL B-30656) which produced an extracellular transferase enzyme when grown in a medium containing sucrose. This produced a glucose and fructose biopolymer on being purified and placed in a medium with sucrose in suitable temperature and pH conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a glucose and fructose polymer and the method for preparing it using a Lactococcus lactis strain. The exopolysaccharides are natural glucose and fructose polymers. These polymers can be found in several plants and microorganisms and are useful as emulsifiers, thikener and surfactants in the food and medicaments industries.

2. Description of the State of the Art

Fructosans naturally occur in two general forms differentiated by the type of binding between molecules of fructose: inulin, as found in plants, is formed from a column of fructose molecules bound by beta,2-1 links. Levans,formed as microbial products, have a column of fructose molecules bound by beta,2-6 links. The fructosans from plants are smaller (around 100 residues) whilst microbial levans contain more than 3 million residues (Pontis et al., 1985, Biochemistry of Storage Carbohydrates in Green Plants. In: Dey and Dixon (eds). Ch. 5, p. 205. New York, Academic Press).

Microbial Levans are produced with sucrose-based substrates having a variety of microorganisms: Acetobacters (Loewenberg, et al., 1957. Can. J. Microbiol., Vol. 3, p. 643), Achromobacter sp. (Lindberg, G., 1957. Nature. Vol. 180, p. 1141), Aerobacter aerogenes (Srinivasan, et al., 1958. Science. Vol. 127, p. 143), Phytobacterium vitrosum (Belval, et al., 1947. 1948. Compt. Rend. Vol. 224, p. 847 and Vol. 226, p. 1859), Xanthomonas pruni (Cooper, et al., 1935. Biochem. J. Vol. 29, p. 2267), Bacillus subtilis (Dedonder, R., 1966. Meth. Enzymol. Vol. 8, p. 500 and Tanka, et al., 1979. J. Biochem., Vol. 85, p. 287), Bacillus polymyxa (Hestrin et al., 1943. Biochem. J., Vol. 3, p. 450), Aerobacter levanicum (Hestrin, et al., Ibid.), Streptococcus sp. (Corrigen et al., 1979. Infect. Immun., Vol. 26, p. 387), Pseudomonas sp. (Fuchs, A., 1956. Nature. Vol. 178, p. 92) and Corynebacterium laevaniformans (Dias et al., 1962. Antonie Van Leewenhoeck, Vol. 28, p. 63).

There are some reports of levan being produced at very low levels and having low purity to be used industrially.

Other biological polymers such as xantan and dextran gum have been extensively used in the food industry as stabilisers in emulsions and froth in ice-cream, in salad-dressing, etc. (Sharma, S. C., January 1981. J. Food Tech., p. 59). Extracellular polysaccharides produced by microorganisms offer a variety of uses and potentially low costs.

Small quantities of levan are generally produced by sucrose fermentation using Actinomyces viscosus or Aerobacter levanicum strains.

Bacillus polymixa generally produces hetero-polysaccharides having different forms of polymers. Genetically modified E. coli strains have been used for producing levan (Gay, P. et al., 1983. J. Bacteriol. Vol. 153, p. 1424). Furthermore, other aerobic fermentation methods have also been used for producing levan (Jeanes, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,673,828; Gaffor, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,545; Ayerbe, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,221). The drawback of such processes is that they produce low product yield and problems related to contamination, thereby industrial processes leading to greater productivity are required.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The main purpose of this invention was to provide a biopolymer produced by an enzyme transferase having glucose and fructose transfer activity. It was produced from a Lactococcus lactis strain (NRRL B-30656) characterised by its high transfer activity, allowing the obtention of the biopolymer by a simple production method which was easy to scale-up. Its method of production consisted of the following steps: Phase 1: fermentation with the Lactococcus lactis NRRL B-30656 strain in culture medium developed for this micro-organism's growth. Phase 2: extracellular enzyme recovery by centrifuging or ultra-filtration. Phase 3: biopolymer production by enzyme reaction using sucrose as substrate and enzyme extract. Phase 4: biopolymer purification by precipitation with solvents or ultra-filtration followed by drying the product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention was to produce a pure biopolymer which was free from polysaccharide contaminants. The biopolymer can be described as a polymer produced by a Lactococcus lactis strain isolated from the soil. This strain has high transfer activity, leading to obtaining the biopolymer by a simple process, having greater than 95% purity.

The microorganism. The Lactococcus lactis NRRL B-30656 strain was isolated from soil in the present invention by a selection process using a medium containing sucrose as carbon source in which transferase enzyme-producing microorganisms were able to use the substrate and produce polymers, giving a mucoid aspect to the colony. Microorganisms having these characteristics were selected from this medium and purified by isolation techniques involving successive dilutions and plate isolation. The Lactococcus lactis NRRL B-30656 strain was obtained from these strains and was used in the present invention. In accordance with the present invention, the Lactococcus lactis NRRL B-30656 strain has been deposited in the Agricultural Research Service Patent Culture Collection NRRL Reference Bank; it was assigned registration number NRRL B-30656 by this institution. This strain produces an enzyme having 2-6 U/ml glucose transfer activity, using sucrose as substrate and also produced a 900-1,100 K Dalton molecular weight glucose and fructose polymer.

The strain was called NRRL B-30656. This strain was isolated and characterised at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia's Instituto de Biotecnologia (IBUN). The strain was kept at 4° C. in Petri dishes with a culture medium whose composition was: 10-40 g/l sucrose, 7-30 g/l yeast extract, 5-20 g/l 0.05-05 g/l potassium phosphate, 10-100 ppm mineral salts, pH 5-9.

The microorganism was characterised by optical microscopy using Gram staining and electronic transmission microscopy by means of positive staining with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. The biochemical characterisation was done using the computerised MicroScan system, according to that described in Bergey's determinative bacteriology manual (Stanley, W; Sharpe, E; Holt, J. 1994. Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, William and Wilkins, Baltimore).

Culture medium. A balance was carried out between carbon source, nitrogen source and certain trace elements for designing and optimising the culture medium for the fermentation with the NRRL B-30656 Lactococcus lactis strain. The culture medium provided the microorganism with the nutrients needed for growing and producing the enzyme.

The following concentrations were established, as a result of evaluating culture medium components: Component Concentration (g/l) Salts K₂HPO₄ 7-30 FeSO₄•7H₂O 0.01-1    MgSO₄•7H₂O 0.01-0.1  MnSO₄•H₂O 0.001-0.1   CaCl₂•2H₂O 0.001-0.01  NaCl 0.01-0.1  Carbon source Sucrose 10-40  Nitrogen source Yeast extract 7-30

The pH was adjusted to pH 5-9 using HCl. The medium was sterilised at 121° C. for 15 minutes.

Fermentation. The pre-inoculums corresponding to 5-20% inoculum volume were activated from the pure strain kept at −70° C. in the medium with 20% glycerol; incubation time did not exceed 10-36 hours, during which time it was necessary to verify the pre-inoculum purity. These cultures were done in stirring flasks, occupying 5-20% of the total volume and incubating them at 20-40° C. with 100-400 rpm shaking in orbital shakers. The number of inoculums necessary was determined according to the number and size of the fermenters.

Growth and enzyme production conditions were: 20-40° C. temperature and 100- 400 rpm agitation (depending on the fermentation scale).

Aeration. The microorganism that enhances the fermentation is aerobic, meaning that the culture had to be aerated with 0.1-1 volumes of air per medium volume per minute (vvm) and pH kept between 5 and 9 during fermentation. Culture mediums resulting from this production process had combinations of components for reaching final 10-30 g/l biomass concentration, wet weight, having 2-6 U/ml transfer activity, this being achieved in 6-24 hours.

Enzyme recovery. Extracellular enzyme was recovered by centrifugating at 3,000-10,000 rpm for 15 minutes or filtration to separate the biomass. Enzyme extract thus presented a 2-6 U/ml transferase activity.

Biopolymer Production

Enzyme reaction. Reaction conditions were as follows:

-   -   Reaction Medium:     -   50-300 Mm phosphate buffer pH : 5-9     -   Substrate : 5-40% sucrose     -   Quantity of enzyme : 10-40% v/v of enzyme extract     -   Reaction time : 12-48 hours     -   stirring : 100-400 rpm

Biopolymer Recovery and Purification

The temperature was reduced to 4° C. following enzymatic reaction and the biopolymer could be recovered in two ways:

a) Precipitation with Solvents

96% ethanol was added to the cold reaction mixture with stirring. The quantity of ethanol added was 1.2-2.0 volumes of ethanol/ reaction mixture volume.

The precipitated biopolymer was redissolved in half the volume of deionised and distilled water and precipitated again with 1.2-2.0 volumes of ethanol/reaction mixture volume.

The precipitated biopolymer was redissolved in a third the volume of water and dried by lyophilisation or dried by compressed air at 60° C. until reaching 5-6% Humidity.

b) Ultrafiltration

The reaction mixture was submitted to ultra-filtration through a regenerated cellulose membrane having a pore size greater than 10,000 Dalton to eliminate residual glucose and fructose. The biopolymer was then submitted to aspersion drying.

The biopolymer was characterised by high performance liquid chromatography and 10% solution viscosity at 30° C. The biopolymer presented a 7-7.5 minutes retention time using a Shodex SC1011 column at 70° C., 0.6 ml/min flow and HPLC grade water as mobile phase.

The viscosity of a 10% solution at 30° C. was found to range from 400-800 centipoises (cP) using a ViscoEasy viscosimeter (Serie L, Schott, Ref. 28.541.120) L2 stem at 50 rpm.

Average DVS (diameter/volume/surface) particle size was 224 micron. The biopolymer had a true density close to that of ssucrose (1.5 mg/ml). It is a material presenting high inter-particle porosity (48%).

EXAMPLES The Following Examples are Given to Illustrate the Present Invention Example 1 Isolating and Identifying the Biopolymer-producing Microorganism

A biopolymer-producing bacterium was isolated from soil and identified as being Lactococcus lactis NRRL B-30656. 10 g samples were collected from soil and grown in 100 ml liquid medium containing sucrose as carbon source. This was incubated at 30° C. with stirring for 24 hours. 4×1:10 dilutions were done in saline solution once growth was obtained; the fourth dilution was seeded. This culture was re-seeded in solid medium using the same composition and isolations were done, selecting the colonies showing polymer production. The culture was then transferred to a fresh medium and cultured for 24 hours. The microorganism was kept in a sucrose medium with 20% glycerol at −70° C. and by lyophilisation using 10% skimmed-milk, once it had been isolated.

The isolated strain, cultivated in solid sucrose medium, showed the following macroscopic characteristics: clear, cream-coloured, rubbery, circular colonies having a defined edge of around 2 to 3 mm diameter (in 24 hours culture). Gram cocci were observed by microscope via Gram staining; they were occasionally found individually but were generally seen forming groups.

Electronic transmission microscopy characterisation led to observing circular cells in which the cell wall could be differentiated. No special structures were observed (i.e. electro-dense granules, flagella, fimbria, etc).

The strain of the present invention is Lactococcus lactis NRRL B-30656, catalogued as GRASS microorganism and shows the following biochemical characteristics: Test Result Growth at 10° C. Positive Growth at 15° C. Positive Growth at 42° C. Negative Growth at pH 4.8 Positive Growth at pH 6.5 Positive Growth at pH 9.2 Doubtful Growth in 0.5% NaCl Positive Growth in 4% NaCl Positive Growth in 5% NaCl Positive Growth NaCl 6.5% Positive Growth in 10% NaCl Negative Growth in 15% NaCl Negative Catalase Negative Haemolysis Gamma Motility Negative Vogees-Proskauer Positive Aerobic glucose Positive Anaerobic glucose Positive Gas production Negative Aerobic lactose Positive Anaerobic lactose Positive Gas production Negative Aerobic fructose Positive Anaerobic fructose Positive Gas production Negative Aerobic maltose Positive Anaerobic maltose Positive Gas production Negative Aerobic manitol Doubtful Anaerobic manitol Doubtful Gas production Negative Aerobic galactose Positive Anaerobic galactose Positive Gas production Negative Aerobic sucrose Positive Anaerobic sucrose Positive Gas production Negative Aerobic xylose Doubtful Anaerobic xylose Doubtful Gas production Negative Aerobic rafinose Positive Anaerobic rafinose Positive Gas production Negative Ribose Positive Trealose Positive Sorbitol Positive Mannose Positive Arabinose Positive Arginin Positive

Example 2 Extract Production or Enzymatic Preparation

1. Fermentation:

a) Microorganism Activation

The Lactoccoccus lactis NRRL B-30656 microorganism was used for obtaining the transferase enzyme. Bacteria were stored in a cryoprotection solution (glycerol) at −70° C. The strain was slowly unfrozen at room temperature and activated in 50 ml sucrose medium at 30° C. for 12 hours and stirring at 180 rpm. 5 ml of this culture were used for two types of seeding. One was seeded in sucrose agar, incubated at 30° C. for 24 hours, mucoid characteristics were observed and stored at 4° C.; the second was seeded in 100 ml sucrose broth and incubated at 30° C. for 12 hours. The latter was distributed in 1 ml centrifuge tubes with 20% v/v glycerol and stored at −70° C., kept for later fermentations. The remaining 45 ml of initial culture were kept in 5 ml vials, by lyophilisation, using sterile skimmed milk as support at 10% concentration and stored at 4° C.

b) Preparing Pre-inoculums and Inoculums

Pre-inoculums were prepared with the same medium composition corresponding to the batch; the conserved microorganism was taken in solid sucrose medium, seeded in a volume of liquid medium, at 5-20% inoculum volume, cultured at 25-35° C., with stirring at 100-400 rpm for 12-24 hours.

Composition of the Medium Used: Component concentration (g/l) Salts: K₂HPO₄ 10-20 FeSO₄•7H₂O 0.03 MgSO₄•7H₂O 0.02 MnSO₄•H₂O 0.002-0.1  CaCl₂•2H₂O 0.0015-0.015  NaCl 0.01-0.1  Carbon source: Sucrose 15-30 Nitrogen source: Yeast extract 15-30

The microorganism was seeded at 5-10% of the fermentation volume and grown up to an average optical density of around 0.7 absorbance units in 1:10 dilution, read at 600nm. A sterile culture medium was used as target.

A preinoculum and inoculum must be made during fermentation, depending on fermenter volume, in such a way that the necessary quantity of cells is obtained in final inoculum (10% culture medium deposited in the production fermenter) to avoid the latency phase in the reactor and trying to maintain the 1:10 volume ratio between the preinoculum and the inoculum or sufficient cell density to serve as inoculum, maintaining rigorous control over culture purity and vegetative state so that it can be used as either inoculum or preinoculum.

c) Preparing the Culture Medium and Inoculation

Culture medium pH was adjusted to pH 7.0. The balloon flask containing the medium for preparing the preinoculum was sterilised at 121° C. for 15 minutes.

d) Operating Conditions

Active ingredient was produced by batch fermentation using the established medium. The operating conditions are listed in the following Table.

Fermenter Operating Conditions Conditions 141 Medium volume (l) 10 Medium volume/fermenter volume ratio 0.8 Inoculum percentage  5-10 Inoculation optical density 0.5-1   Stirring (rpm) 100-400 Temperature (° C.) 25-35 Aeration (vvm) 1-3 Initial medium pH 5-8 Fermentation time (hours)  6-12

2. Enzyme Recovery:

a) Centrifuging

Extracellular enzyme was recovered by centrifuging at 5,000 rpm for 15 minutes to separate the biomass. The enzyme extract presented 2-6 U/ml glucosyltranspherase activity.

b) Ultrafiltration

Another way of recovering the fermentation supernatant is by using 0.45-2 micra pore size ultra filtration membranes.

Example 3 Biopolymer Production and Recovery

a) Enzymatic reaction. Reaction conditions were as follows:

-   -   Reactant medium:         -   50-200 Mm phosphate buffer pH : 5-7         -   Substrate : 8-20% sucrose         -   Enzyme quantity :10-30% v/v enzyme extract (200-500 U/l).         -   Reaction time : 20-40 hours         -   Stirring :100-400 rpm

The enzyme was separated by centrifuging, placed in medium containing 8-20% sucrose, at pH 5-8 and at 25-35° C. for 20-30 hours, obtaining 30-60 g/l polymer concentration corresponding to 40-60% yield regarding the substrate. In other reported processes 5-10 days for producing the polymer were needed. The reported microorganisms produced less polymer concentration (Table 1).

b) Purifying the Biopolymer

The temperature was lowered to 4° C. following the enzymatic reaction and it was possible to recover the biopolymer in two ways:

-   -   Precipitation with solvents. 96% ethanol was added to the cold         reaction mixture with stirring. The quantity of added ethanol         corresponded to 1.0-3.0 volumes of ethanol/volume of the         reaction mixture.     -   The precipitated biopolymer was redissolved in half the volume         of deionised and distilled water and is precipitated again with         1.0 to 3.0 volumes of ethanol/reaction mixture volume.

Precipitated biopolymer was redissolved in a third of the volume of water and dried by lyophilisation or dried by compressed air at 60-80° C. until reaching 5-10% humidity. TABLE 1 EPS production using different microorganisms Organism Biopolymer (g/100 ml) Acetobacter pasteurianus ATCC 11142 0 B. polymyxa NRRL B-68 0 NRRL B-130 0 NRRL B-510 1.2 NRRL B-4317 1.4 Isolate (NRRL B-18475) 3.6 B. subtilis NRRL B-447 1.0 NRRL B-577 0 NRRL B-644 0 NRRL B-675 1.0 NRRL B-744a 1.5 NRRL B-2612 0 Enterobacter levanicum NRRL B-1678 0.7 Microbacterium laevaniformans ATCC 15953 1.2

-   -   Ultrafiltration. The reaction mixture was submitted to         ultrafiltration on a regenerated cellulose membrane having a         pore size greater than 10,000 Daltons to eliminate residual         glucose and fructose. The biopolymer was then dryied by         aspersion process.

Biopolymer production by this microorganism depends on the substrate concentration, this being optimal at 8-24% where the biopolymer is produced having the greatest degree of purity with the greatest yield (Table 2). TABLE 2 Effect of sucrose on biopolymer production by Lactococcus lactis Sucrose (%) Biopolymer (g/l) Control 0 0% (sucrose free) Sucrose 8 38.8 Sucrose 12 50.1 Sucrose 16 55.6

c) Drying

The obtained final product was a white powder which could be dried by lyophilisation or dry heat at a temperature not greater than 80° C.

Example 4 Biopolymer Characterisation

1. Solubility

The product was a hydro-soluble biopolymer able to form hydrogel homogeneous dispersions up to 50% maximum concentration. 1.0 g of biopolymer was dissolved in 32 ml 5% chlorhydric acid, in 50 ml 10% sodium hydroxide or in 30 ml glacial acetic acid.

It was insoluble in ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, mineral and vegetal oil and polyethylen glycol.

The product was moderately soluble in 0.5% oxalic acid at at reflux temperature.

2. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

-   -   A 1.5% biopolymer solution presented a 900-1,100 KDa molecular         weight in permeation chromatography determined on a Shodex OHPak         KB-803 column. Chromatography conditions were as follows:

Temperature : 55° C.

Mobile phase : 0.1 M NaCl solution

Flow :0.9 ml/min

-   -   Polymer purity was greater than 95%, revealed by a thin peak in         HPLC, in the following conditions:

Column: Shodex SC1011

Mobile phase: distilled deionised water

Flow: 0.6 ml/min.

Temperature: 70° C.

Equipment: Waters 510 with refraction index detector (Waters 2410).

The biopolymer presented a 7 to 7.5 minute retention time under these conditions.

The patterns used were analytic reagent grade glucose, fructose, sucrose and levan.

-   -   The biopolymer was stable over a broad pH range revealed by HPLC         following polymer contact with pH 2-9 buffers.

3. Viscosity

Viscosity was determined in a 10% solution at 30° C. using a ViscoEasy viscosimeter L Series, Schott, Ref. 28.541.120, L2 stem at 50 rpm. The samples analysed presented viscosity ranging from 1,000-3,000 centipoises (cP). Pseudo-plastic behaviour was exhibited (cross-sectional thinning). Biopolymer solution viscosity lowered whenthe shear rate increases and increases on reducing temperature.

4. Dimensional Characteristics

The biopolymer had a true density close to that of sucrose (1.5 mg/ml). It is a material showing high inter-particulate porosity (48%).

Average DVS particle size (diameter/volume/surface) was 224 micron.

5. Humidity Adsorption

Water adsorption capacity ranged from 6.12 mg/g to 353.20 mg/g depending on relative humidity; this means that it was a slightly hygroscopic material. The biopolymer was able to soak up unlimited quantities of water due to its polymeric structure and hydrophilicity, being able to form variable consistency systems depending on the quantity of water incorporated, giving rise to the formation of aqueous dispersions characterised by their high viscosity.

6. Humidity

It presents losses of up to 10% when dried in a vacuum oven at 60° C.

7. Thermal Characteristics

The biopolymer presents two glass transition points; the first between 20° C. and 30° C. and the second between 190° C. and 220° C. as determined by scanning differential calorimetry.

8. Microbiological Quality

The biopolymer presents the following microbiological counts: Microbiological charge Range Unit Viable mesophile count 2000-4000 ufc/gr Coliform count Absence nmp/gr Faecal coliform count <10 nmp/gr Salmonella count Absence mildew and yeast count 2000-5000 ufc/gr

9. Uses

-   -   a) The biopolymer could be used in the pharmaceutical industry         as viscosant, thickener, stabiliser, dispersant, as a film         former, as disintegrant, blood plasma substitute, lubrication         agent and/or prebiotic agent.     -   b) The biopolymer could be used in the food industry as a         thickener, viscosant, stabiliser, dispersant, as fibre and as         fat , oils and ether- and ester-based carbohydrates substitute.     -   c) The biopolymer can be used in products obtained by extrusion,         for forming films apt for producing flexible and biodegradable         packages and for obtaining disposable biodegradable products,         obtained by injection or moulding and in the production of         flocculent agents for water treatment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The main purpose of this invention is to provide a biopolymer, produced by an enzymatic extract or preparation having glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity. It is produced from a Lactococcus lactis strain (NRRL B-30656) characterised by its high transfer activity, allowing the biopolymer to be obtained by a simple production method which is easy to scale-up. Its production comprises the following steps: Phase 1: fermentation with the Lactococcus lactis NRRL B-30656 strain in a culture medium developed for this microorganism's growth; Phase 2: extracellular enzyme recovery trough centrifuging or ultra-filtration; Phase 3: biopolymer production trough enzyme reaction using sucrose as substrate and the enzymatic extract or preparation; and Phase 4: biopolymer purification trough precipitation with solvents or ultra-filtration followed by drying the product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to produce a polysaccharide contaminants-free pure biopolymer. The biopolymer can be described as being a polymer produced by a Lactococcus lactis strain isolated from soil. This strain has high transfer activity, leading to obtaining the biopolymer through a simple process, having a purity greater than 95%.

The microorganism. The Lactococcus lactis NRRL B-30656 strain is isolated from soil in the present invention by a selective process using a sucrose-containing medium sucrose as a carbon source in which the microorganisms producing the enzymatic extract or preparation having glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity, are able to use the substrate and to produce the polymers, giving the colony a mucoid aspect. Microorganisms having these characteristics are selected from this medium and purified trough isolating techniques involving successive dilutions Component Concentration in g/l Salts K₂HPO₄  7-30 FeSO₄•7H₂O 0.01-1   MgSO₄•7H₂O 0.01-0.1 MnSO₄•H₂O 0.001-0.01 CaCl₂•2H₂O 0.001-0.1  NaCl 0.01-0.1 Carbon source Sucrose  10-40 Nitrogen source Yeast extract  7-30

The pH is set to pH 5-9 with HCl. The medium is sterilised at 121° C. for 15 minutes.

Fermentation. The pre-inoculums corresponding to 5-20% of the inoculum volume are activated from the pure strain preserve at −70° C. in a medium having 20% glycerol; incubation time should not exceed 10-36 hours during which time pre-inoculum purity must be verified. These cultures are done in flasks with stirring , occupying 5-20% total volume; they are incubated at 20-40° C. with 100-400 rpm stirring rate in orbital agitators. The number of inoculums necessary is determined by the number and size of the fermenters.

Growth and enzyme production conditions are 20-40° C. temperature with stirring at a rate of 100-400 rpm (depending on the fermentation scale).

Aeration. The fermentation promoting microorganism is aerobic, meaning that the culture had to be aerated with 0.1-1 volumes of air per medium volume per minute (vvm) and pH is kept between 5 and 9 during fermentation. Culture mediums resulting from this production process have combinations of components in order to obtain final biomass concentration of 10-30 g/l, a wet weight, having 2-6 U/ml transfer activity, this being achieved in 6-24 hours.

Enzyme recovery. Extra-cellular enzyme are collected from fermented culture medium trough centrifuging at 3,000-10,000 rpm for 15 minutes or by separating the biomass trough filtration. Enzymatic extract or preparation thus presents 2-6 U/ml glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity.

Biopolymer Production

Enzymatic reaction. Reaction conditions were as follows:

-   -   Reaction Medium:     -   50-300 Mm phosphate buffer pH : 5-9     -   Substrate : 5-40% sucrosa     -   Quantity of enzyme : 10-40% v/v enzymatic extract or preparation     -   Reaction time :12-48 hours     -   Agitation :100-400 rpm

Biopolymer Recuperation and Purification

After the enzymatic reaction, the temperature was reduced to 4° C. following enzymatic reaction and the biopolymer was recovered in two ways:

a) Precipitation with Solvents

96% ethanol was added to the cold reaction mixture with agitation. The added amount of ethanol corresponds to 1.2-2.0 volumes of ethanol/reaction mixture volume.

Example 2 Production of the Enzymatic Extract or Preparation

1. Fermentation:

a) Microorganism Activation

The Lactoccoccus lactis NRRL B-30656 microorganism was used for obtaining an enzymatic extract or preparation having glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity. Bacteria were stored in a cryoprotection solution (glycerol) at −70° C. The strain was slowly unfrozen until room temperature was reached and it was activated in 50 ml sucrose medium at 30° C. for 12 hours and stirring at 180 rpm. 5 ml of this culture were used for two types of seeding. The first in agar succhrose, incubated at 30° C. for 24 hours, while observing its mucoid characteristics and then stored at 4° C.; the second in 100 ml sucrose broth incubated at 30° C. for 12 hours. The latter was distributed in 1 ml centrifuge tubes with 20% v/v glycerol and stored at −70° C., for later use in fermentations. The remaining 45 ml of initial culture were preserved in 5 ml vials, lyophilised using 10% concentration sterile skimmed milk as support and stored at 4° C.

b) Preparing Pre-inoculums and Inoculums

Pre-inoculums were prepared with the same medium composition corresponding to the batch; the microorganism conserved in solid sucrose medium was taken, then seeded in a volume of liquid medium, at 5-20% inoculum volume, cultured at 25-35° C., with stirring at 100-400 rpm for 12-24 hours.

Composition of the Medium Used: Component g/l concentration Salts:

Fermenter Operating Conditions Conditions 141 Medium volume (l) 10 Medium volume/fermenter volume ratio 0.8 Inoculum percentage  5-10 Inoculation optical density 0.5-1   Stirring (rpm) 100-400 Temperature (° C.) 25-35 Aeration (vvm) 1-3 Initial medium pH 5-8 Fermentation time (hours)  6-12

2. Enzyme Recovery:

a) Centrifuging

Extracellular enzyme was recovered by centrifuging at 5,000 rpm for 15 minutes for separating the biomass. The enzymatic extract or preparation presented 2-6 U/ml glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity.

b) Ultrafiltration

Another way of recovering fermentation supernatant is by using 0.22-2 micra pore size ultra filtration membranes.

Example 3 Biopolymer Production and Recovery

a) Enzymatic reaction. Reaction conditions were as follows:

-   -   Reaction Medium:         -   50-200 Mm phosphate buffer pH : 5-7         -   Substrate : 8-20% sucrose         -   Enzyme quantity :10-30% v/v enzymatic extract (200-500 U/l).         -   Reaction time : 20-40 hours         -   Stirring : 100-400 rpm

The enzyme was separated by centrifuging, placed in medium containing 8-20% sucrose, at pH 5-8 and 25-35° C. for 20-30 hours, obtaining 30-60 g/l polymer concentration corresponding to 40-60% yield regarding substrate. Other processes reported to date have required up to 5-10 days for producing polymer. The reported microorganisms produced less poly mer concentration (See Table 1).

b) Purifying the Biopolymer

After the enzymatic reaction, the temperature was lowered to 4° C. following enzyme reaction and it was possible to recover the biopolymer in two ways:

-   -   Precipitation with solvents. 96% ethanol was added to cold         reaction mixture with stirring. The quantity of added ethanol         corresponded to 1.0-3.0 volumes of ethanol/volume reaction         mixture.     -   The precipitated biopolymer was dissolved in half the volume of         deionised and distilled water and precipitated again with 1.0 to         3.0 volumes of ethanol/reaction mixture volume.

Precipitated biopolymer was redissolved in third of the volume of water and dried by lyophilisation or dried by compressed air at 60-80° C. until reaching 5-10% humidity. TABLE 1 EPS production using different microorganisms Organism Biopolymer (g/100 ml)

c) Drying

The final product was obtained as a white powder that can which could be dried by lyophilisation or dry heat at a temperature not greater than 80° C.

Example 4 Biopolymer Characterisation

1. Solubility

The product was a hydro-soluble biopolymer able to form hydrogel homogeneous dispersions up to 50% maximum concentration. 1.0 g of biopolymer was dissolved in 32 ml 5% chlorhydric acid, in 50 ml 10% sodium hydroxide in 30 ml glacial acetic acid.

It was insoluble in ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, mineral and vegetal oil and polyethylenglycol.

The product was moderate soluble in 0.5% oxalic acid at ebullition temperature.

2. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

-   -   A 1.5% biopolymer solution presented a 900-1,100 KDa molecular         weight in permeation chromatography determined on a Shodex OHPak         KB-803 column. Chromatography conditions were as follows:

Temperature : 55° C.

Mobile phase : 0.1 M NaCl solution

Flow :0.9 ml/min

-   -   Polymer purity was greater than 95%, shown by a thin peak in         HPLC, under the following conditions:

Column: Shodex SC1011

Mobile phase: distilled deionised water

Flow: 0.6 ml/min.

Temperature: 70° C.

Equipment: Waters 510 with refraction index detector (Waters 2410).

The biopolymer presented a 7 to 7.5 minute retention time under these conditions.

The patterns used were analytic reagent grade glucose, fructose, and sucrose.

-   -   The biopolymer was stable over broad range of pH shown by HPLC         after contacting the polymer with pH 2-9 buffers.

3. Viscosity

Viscosity was determined in a 10% solution at 30° C. using a ViscoEasy viscosimeter Serie L, Schott, Ref. 28.541.120, L2 stem at 50 rpm. The samples analysed presented viscosity ranging from 1,000-3,000 centipoises (cP). Pseudo-plastic behaviour was exhibited (cross-sectional thinning). Biopolymer solution viscosity became reduced on increasing the shear rate and increased on reducing temperature.

4. Dimensional Characteristics

The biopolymer had a true density close to that of sucrose (1.5 mg/ml). It is a material presenting high inter-particle porosity (48%).

Average DVS particle size (diameter/volume/surface) was 224 micron.

5. Humidity Adsorption

Water adsorption capacity ranged from 6.12 mg/g to 353.20 mg/g depending on relative humidity; this means that it was a slightly hygroscopic material. The biopolymer was capable of unlimited expansion on contact with water due to its polymeric structure and hydrophilicity, being able to form variable consistency systems depending on the quantity of water incorporated, giving rise to forming aqueous dispersions characterised by their high viscosity.

6. Humidity

It presented losses of up to 10% when dried in a vacuum oven at 60° C.

7. Thermal Characteristics

The biopolymer presented two vitreous transition points; the first between 20° C. and 30° C. and the second between 190° C. and 220° C. as determined by differential scanning calorimetry.

8. Microbiological Quality

The biopolymer presents the following microbiological counts: Microbiological charge Range Unit Viable mesophile count 2000-4000 cfu/gr Coliform count Absence mpn/gr Faecal coliform count <10 mpn/gr Salmonella count Absence Mould and yeast count 2000-5000 cfu/gr

9. Uses

The biopolymer could be used in the pharmaceutical industry as viscosant, thickener, stabiliser, dispersant, as a film former, 

1. A glucose and fructose biopolymer obtained from a Lactococcus lactis strain (NRRLB-30656) metabolism products, wherein said metabolism products comprise an enzymatic extract or preparation having two types of glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity and wherein said biopolymer has a composition having a 0.2 to 0.7 glucose/fructose ratio characterised by the following properties: 900-1,100 Kilodalton molecular weight; two vitreous transition points; the first between 20° C. and 30° C. and the second between 190° C. and 220° C.; stability in aqueous solutions, pH values ranging from 2 to 9; 1,000 to 3,000 centipoise viscosity when the polymer is at 10% to 20% concentration in an aqueous solution at 30° C.; it is non-hygroscopic; and it is highly soluble in water, able to form hydrogel homogeneous dispersions at maximum concentration of 50% w/v.
 2. A method for producing the enzymatic extract or preparation having both glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity, produced by Lactococcus lactis strain NRRLB-30656, consisting of: a) Activating the Lactococcus lactis NRRLB-30656r microorganism, using a medium containing sucrose as carbon source, proteins as nitrogen source and mineral salts; b) Fermenting the Lactococcus lactis NRRLB-30656 microorganism using a culture medium containing sucrose as carbon source, proteins as nitrogen source and mineral salts; and c) Separating the enzymatic extract or preparation from the fermented medium using centrifugation or ultrafiltration.
 3. The method for producing the enzymatic extract or preparation according to claim 2 where the microorganism activating step is carried out by inoculating a medium containing saccharose as carbon source, proteins as nitrogen source (yeast extract, ammonium sulphate, meat extract and other nitrogen sources) and mineral salts, incubated for 10-36 hours at 25° C., with stirring at 100-400 rpm and 5 to 9 pH.
 4. The method according to claim 2, where the microorganism fermenting step is carried out by cultivating the Lactococcus lactis NRRLB-30656 microorganism using a culture medium containing sucrose as carbon source, proteins as nitrogen Source (yeast extract, ammonium sulphate, meat extract and other nitrogen sources) and K2HPO4, FeSO4.7H2O, MgSO4.7H2O, MnSO4.H2O, CaC12.2H2O y NaCl mineral salts, which is incubated for 12-36 hours at 25° C., with stirring at 100-400 rpm, 1-2 vvm and pH 5 to
 9. 5. The method according to claim 2, where the enzymatic extract or preparation, separating step is carried out by separating the enzymatic extract or preparation from the fermented medium by centrifuging the microorganism suspension between around 3 000 to 7 000 rpm.
 6. The method for producing the enzymatic extract or preparation according to claim 2, where the fermentation step with the microorganism can be done by making preinoculum with the Lactococcus lactis NRRLB-30656 microorganism using a culture medium containing sucrose as carbon source, proteins as nitrogen source (yeast extract, ammonium sulphate, meat extract and other nitrogen sources) and K₂HPO₄, FeSO₄. 7H2O, MgSO₄. 7H2O, MnSO₄. H₂O, CaCl₂. 2H₂O and NaCl mineral salts, and is incubated for 12-36 hours at 25° C., with stirring at 100-400 rpm, 0.1-1 vvm and pH 5 to
 9. 7. The method for producing an enzymatic extract or preparation having glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity according to anyone of claims 2-6, wherein the sucrose concentration content as carbon source is around (10-40 g/l concentration) and proteins concentration content as nitrogen source is around 7-30 g/l and the mineral salts content is around: 7-30 g/l K₂HPO₄, 0.01-1 g/l FeSO₄. 7H₂O, 0.01-0.1 g/l MgSO₄. 7H₂O, 0.001-0.1 g/l MnSO₄. H₂O, 0.001-0.01 g/l CaCl₂. 2H₂O and 0.01-0.1 g/l NaCl and is incubated around 10-36 hours at 25° C., with stirring at 100-400 rpm and pH 5 to
 9. 8. A method for producing a glucose and fructose polymer, according to claim 1 comprising: a) Incubating the enzymatic extract or preparation having glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity, obtained through fermentation according to anyone of claims 2 to 7, in a sucrose-containing medium as carbon source, with suitable stirring temperature, pH, enzymatic extract or preparation and substrate concentration substrate and reaction time conditions for producing the biopolymer. b) Recovering and purifying the biopolymer by precipitation or ultrafiltration.
 9. The method for producing the biopolymer, according to claim 8, where the enzymatic extract or preparation incubation step comprises: Incubating the enzymatic extract or preparation in a sucrose-containing medium as carbon source, with suitable stirring (100-400 rpm), temperature, pH (5 to 9), enzymatic extract or preparation (10-40% v/v) and substrate concentration (5-40%) and reaction time (12-48 hours) conditions for producing the biopolymer.
 10. The method according to claim 8 where the step of recovering and purifying the biopolymer through precipitation comprises: Adding 1.2-2.0 volumes of 96% ethanol to cold reaction mixture with stirring (the quantity of added ethanol corresponds to ethanol/reaction mixture volume); Dissolving the precipitated biopolymer in half the volume of deionised and distilled water and precipitating it again with 1.2 to 2.0 volumes of ethanol/reaction mixture volume; and Dissolving the precipitated biopolymer in a third of the volume of water and drying through lyophilisation or compressed air drying between around 50° C. to 80° C. until reaching around 5-6% humidity.
 11. The method according to claim 8 where the step of recovering and purifying the biopolymer trough ultrafiltration comprises ultrafiltrating with the reaction mixture using a regenerated cellulose membrane having a pore size greater than 10,000-30,000 Dalton to eliminate residual glucose and fructose and submitting the biopolymer to aspersion drying.
 12. A Lactococcus lactis strain microorganism isolated from Colombian soil, registered under accession number NRRL B-30656.
 13. The microorganism according to claim 12 which produces the enzymatic extract or preparation having both glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activity.
 14. The microorganism according to claim 12 used to produce the biopolymer according to claim
 1. 15. The microorganism according to claim 12 which is preserved in a sucrose containing medium with 20% glycerol at −70° C. and lyophilised using 10% skimmed milk.
 16. The biopolymer according to claim 1 which is used in the pharmaceutil industry as a viscous agent, thickener, stabiliser, dispersant, film forming age disintegrating agent, blood plasma substitute, lubricating agent and prebiotics' agent.
 17. The biopolymer according to claim 1 which is used in the food industry as thickener, viscous agent, stabiliser, dispersant, fibre and ether- and ester-based fat, oil and carbohydrate substitute.
 18. The biopolymer according to claim 1 which is used in products obtained by extrusion for forming films apt for producing flexible and biodegradable seals and obtaining disposable biodegradable products obtained by injection or moulding and for producing flocculent agents for water treatment. 